Nawruz marks the Persian New Year and is the first day of spring. Originating more than 3,000 years ago, it symbolises renewal and harmony with nature. Although rooted in Zoroastrianism, an ancient monotheistic religion, Nawruz is recognised by UNESCO, as a secular event, and the UN designated March 21 as the International Day of Nawruz.
The Luton Baha’i community held Nawruz celebrations on 23rd Mar’24. They provided guests with a delightful array of traditional Persian cuisine along with numerous entertaining musical and dance performances.
The Guest Speaker Annabel Djalili spoke eloquently about the Baha’i faith. She said, “At the heart of the Baha’i teachings is the conviction of humanity’s essential oneness. Baha’u’llah compared humanity to the human body, which is made up of millions of cells, all playing their part in maintaining the health of the body. The different parts of the body don’t compete with each other, and every cell is in a continuous process of giving and receiving.”
“Thinking about humanity through this lens helps us reflect more on the purpose of our lives. According to the Baha’i Teachings, every individual is a member of the body of humanity and has a unique soul and also shares a common purpose – to work for the betterment of the world, and to bring about an ever-advancing civilization.”
“So this awareness of our interdependence really helps us understand more deeply how we can function in our world which has countless situations where conflict is just accepted as the norm and as a driving force of human interaction.”
She explained how the Baha’i communities try all over the world to strengthen bonds of friendship and establish meaningful patterns of communication among people of various backgrounds, foster spaces that help young people develop their intellectual and spiritual capacities and build their capacity for service to humanity.
Carl Puran, President of the Baha’i community of Luton announced that all their local activities are open to everyone to take part. All are welcome.
He said, “Baha’is love to collaborate with others to transform our world individually and collectively, to further the cause of peace and unity.”
He expressed gratitude to Grassroots, Luton Council of Faiths, Near Neighbours Programme for constantly bringing Luton’s faith leaders and communities together.
Pic1: Richard Leigh (L) & other Baha’i friends, involved guests of all ages into singing an action-song identifying with the themes of love, peace and unity of humankind, at the Nawruz (Persian New Year) celebrations held on 23rd Mar’24.